The Titans are sinking out of sight in the AFC South and are still woeful on the road, having dropped nine consecutive games away from Nissan Stadium. That task doesn’t appear to get any easier this week in Jacksonville, where the Jaguars are smarting from being pounded at home last week by San Francisco.
First down
Run the ball. The Bucs quickly extinguished the Titans run game in Sunday’s 20-6 win over Tennessee, holding them to 42 yards on the ground. Derrick Henry was a non-factor, which usually doesn’t bode well for the Titans’ chances. The good news is Henry has generally had great games against the Jags over the years. Can he do it one more time? The Titans sure do need it.
Second down
Win on third down. The Titans defense allowed the Bucs to hit on nearly 50% on third downs (7 of 15). They won’t win many games doing that. The front four has to win more consistently to help a secondary prone to giving up chunk plays at inopportune times.
Third down
Find the end zone. The Titans have been horrible in the red zone, having notched just nine touchdowns in 28 trips there. No wonder they’re not scoring points or winning games. A condensed field, poor offensive line play and receivers who don’t create enough separation are all to blame.
Fourth down
Get pressure. Trevor Lawrence has the Jaguars atop the AFC South. The Titans, though, have been able to get to him in the past to make him uncomfortable in the pocket. With the shape things are in, they are going to need a turnover or two to have a chance to stay in this game.